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129
small roof fires on nearby houses. 28 The fire
crews were stopped at Sixth and Castle by
W. T. Savage on orders of Fire Chief
Charles Schnibben until it was certain that
the building was destroyed beyond repair. 29
Once the all- black fire crew was allowed to
approach the scene, they were met by a
barrage of shouts and a “ fusillade of gun and
pistol shots.” 30 The whites watched as the
firemen fought to douse the flames. Later
accounts by observers admired the fortitude
of the fire fighters who did their job in spite
of harrowing circumstances— taming a
raging fire in close proximity to other
buildings under the watchful eyes of
hundreds of armed antagonistic men. 31
After the fire was extinguished, some whites
stopped a moment to pose with their rifles in
front of the destroyed building.
The black community reacted in a
multitude of ways— children at a nearby
school were running through the
neighborhood in a frightened panic, and an
elderly lady stood on the street and “ invoked
the wrath of Heaven” on the perpetrators
even as they worked to destroy the press and
building. 32 Fire crews tore down the
remains of the building after the crowd
dispersed. 33 Although the number of
participants swelled to as many as 2,000 at
the time the press began to burn, many
whites were not a part of the march on the
28 Henry West, “ The Race War in North Carolina,”
The Forum, Volume XXVI, 583- 584
29 Hayden, WLI, 86; Prather, We Have Taken a City,
113. These men were part of an all black fire station,
the Cape Fear Steam Fire Engine Company. The
company was organized in 1871 and was the first all-black
steam fire engine company in the US.
Schnibben and Savage both were possibly members
of the Red Shirts and White Government Union.
Reaves, Strength Through Struggle, 186- 192.
30 Evening Dispatch ( Wilmington), November
10,1898.
31 Hayden, Story of the Wilmington Rebellion, 15.
32 West, “ Race War in North Carolina,” Forum, 585.
33 Evening Dispatch ( Wilmington), November 10,
1898.
press and were alerted to the violence by the
sounds of gun shots, fire bells, and shouts. 34
Waddell and the men present at the
press destruction then re- formed their lines
and returned to the armory. There, Waddell
counseled the men: “ Now you have
performed the duty you called on me to lead
you to perform. Now let us go quietly to our
homes and about our business and obey the
law, unless we are forced in self- defense to
do otherwise.” 35 But Waddell’s cautions
fell on deaf ears for there were already
roving clusters of armed men in a state of
recklessness throughout the city. The white
supremacy monster that he and other
members of the Democratic Party had
spawned, and previously held in check, had
exceeded their control.
Remnants of Record printing press
Image: New Hanover County Public Library
Once the press was destroyed, the
city entered a state of panic. Women and
children were ushered inside behind locked
doors and windows, and workers of both
races rushed to the city’s center to ascertain
what had happened. With telephones and
34 Several witnesses in Contested Election Case
recalled seeing smoke and hearing the fire bells.
Cronly included the shouts and fire bells in her
recollections.
35 McDuffie, “ Politics in Wilmington,” 697; Hayden,
WLI, 86.

129
small roof fires on nearby houses. 28 The fire
crews were stopped at Sixth and Castle by
W. T. Savage on orders of Fire Chief
Charles Schnibben until it was certain that
the building was destroyed beyond repair. 29
Once the all- black fire crew was allowed to
approach the scene, they were met by a
barrage of shouts and a “ fusillade of gun and
pistol shots.” 30 The whites watched as the
firemen fought to douse the flames. Later
accounts by observers admired the fortitude
of the fire fighters who did their job in spite
of harrowing circumstances— taming a
raging fire in close proximity to other
buildings under the watchful eyes of
hundreds of armed antagonistic men. 31
After the fire was extinguished, some whites
stopped a moment to pose with their rifles in
front of the destroyed building.
The black community reacted in a
multitude of ways— children at a nearby
school were running through the
neighborhood in a frightened panic, and an
elderly lady stood on the street and “ invoked
the wrath of Heaven” on the perpetrators
even as they worked to destroy the press and
building. 32 Fire crews tore down the
remains of the building after the crowd
dispersed. 33 Although the number of
participants swelled to as many as 2,000 at
the time the press began to burn, many
whites were not a part of the march on the
28 Henry West, “ The Race War in North Carolina,”
The Forum, Volume XXVI, 583- 584
29 Hayden, WLI, 86; Prather, We Have Taken a City,
113. These men were part of an all black fire station,
the Cape Fear Steam Fire Engine Company. The
company was organized in 1871 and was the first all-black
steam fire engine company in the US.
Schnibben and Savage both were possibly members
of the Red Shirts and White Government Union.
Reaves, Strength Through Struggle, 186- 192.
30 Evening Dispatch ( Wilmington), November
10,1898.
31 Hayden, Story of the Wilmington Rebellion, 15.
32 West, “ Race War in North Carolina,” Forum, 585.
33 Evening Dispatch ( Wilmington), November 10,
1898.
press and were alerted to the violence by the
sounds of gun shots, fire bells, and shouts. 34
Waddell and the men present at the
press destruction then re- formed their lines
and returned to the armory. There, Waddell
counseled the men: “ Now you have
performed the duty you called on me to lead
you to perform. Now let us go quietly to our
homes and about our business and obey the
law, unless we are forced in self- defense to
do otherwise.” 35 But Waddell’s cautions
fell on deaf ears for there were already
roving clusters of armed men in a state of
recklessness throughout the city. The white
supremacy monster that he and other
members of the Democratic Party had
spawned, and previously held in check, had
exceeded their control.
Remnants of Record printing press
Image: New Hanover County Public Library
Once the press was destroyed, the
city entered a state of panic. Women and
children were ushered inside behind locked
doors and windows, and workers of both
races rushed to the city’s center to ascertain
what had happened. With telephones and
34 Several witnesses in Contested Election Case
recalled seeing smoke and hearing the fire bells.
Cronly included the shouts and fire bells in her
recollections.
35 McDuffie, “ Politics in Wilmington,” 697; Hayden,
WLI, 86.